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The Bulls of Buffalo

Official Review by Andrew Kulyk, Stadium Journey Special Correspondent

Alumni Arena, a key piece of the State University of New York at Buffalo’s recreation and athletic complex, is located on the north campus of the university in suburban Amherst, New York. Built in 1982, the facility is part of a vast and sprawling campus which, incredibly, is almost perfectly designed for car travel – and that’s within the campus itself! Alumni Arena is primarily home to the men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling team and men's volleyball team. An extensive renovation was performed in 2012, adding new chairback seating to reduce capacity to 6100, as well as additions of new lighting, video scoreboard, improved training facilities and a renovated concourse.

2.9

What is FANFARE?

The FANFARE scale is our metric device for rating each stadium experience. It covers the following:

Food & Beverage

Atmosphere

Neighborhood

Fans

Access

Return on Investment

Extras

Each area is rated from 0 to 5 stars with 5 being the best. The overall composite score is the "FANFARE Score".

Food & Beverage
4

Upgrades to the concession fare boost this score to a respectable four stars. The team has added numerous hot food items, including a personal pan pizza (cheese $4.75, pepperoni $5.00), the UB BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($4.75), Italian or Polish Sausage topped with kraut or peppers/onions ($4.25), and Buffalo's famed Beef on Weck sandwich ($5.50). Combos come with soda pop and chips. Pepsi products are sold here ($2.75) as well as Tim Hortons coffee, hot chocolate, and cappuccino. ($2.75). No alcohol is served in this facility.

Atmosphere
3

The atmosphere here is a hit or miss sort of thing. Go during winter break when the students are away and the place can feel like a mausoleum. Catch a big game when the arena is full and things will be rocking. Unfortunately, the team has never been to the NCAA tournament since its promotion to Division One. The Bulls' closest call came back in 2005, when in the MAC tournament finals UB held an 18 point lead against Ohio in the second half, only to see it evaporate, and Ohio won on a buzzer beater. An elusive MAC title and a trip to The Dance would undoubtedly elevate the program and its fan support.

Neighborhood
2

The massive campus was built on a swamp as part of the larger master plan to transform this suburb into a huge planned community. That population explosion never happened, nor did a long promised Metrorail extension to ferry people from this campus to downtown Buffalo. Arriving by car is the preferred method for getting to the UB campus.

Restaurant choices are abundant, but all are located some distance from campus, as even getting off the campus and into civilization can be a chore. Zetti's Pizza on Maple Road is a good campus hangout. Duff's famous wings on Sheridan/Millersport is a Buffalo institution. Just north up Millersport is Elmo's, offering terrific pub fare. Go west about a mile on Maple Road, and you will happen upon Boulevard Mall. Casual dining eateries and national chains abound there, so take your pick.

Fans
3

Another score upgrade is in order for the fans, who are embracing the team and the program in greater numbers, with the team enjoying another competitive season, and an arena which is warmer and friendlier on the eyes and contains more amenities. It is still a work in progress, however. More student support, drawing on a base of over 20,000 who attend here at UB, would be a huge step.

Access
3

Hopefully one day we can report that the Amherst extension of the Metrorail has been funded and built, but for now driving is the best way to get to Alumni Arena. Once you follow the signs up Millersport and onto the ring road surrounding the campus' academic spine, things get a bit dicey. There are massive parking lots, many of which are full on game night evenings, as the campus is in continuous use. Find a spot and then hoof it up to the arena, as there are few spots actually close to the building itself. Additionally, the Slee concert hall is right next door, and when there is a performance going on at the same time it adds to the congestion. Departing after the game can also be difficult to navigate, but once off campus and on the ring road or Millersport, things move quickly.

Return on Investment
3

A 300 level ticket is priced at $15, and 100 and 200 level seats run $25. The ushers are pretty laid back here so upgrading from the nosebleeds is not a problem. Parking is free, and concession prices, while not dirt cheap, aren't eye poppingly expensive either.

Extras
2

Place a star for the Bulls Team Shop on the main concourse, which is a nicely appointed merchandise store.

A second star is awarded for an amenity which has yet to be finished but is now underway- an interactive museum and Hall of Fame. Located in the arena lobby and concourse, the Hall of Fame is advertised via a huge banner in the lobby. Once completed, fans will be able to search inductees via a touch screen and view exhibits.

Final Thoughts

The building is hardly an architectural marvel, but a brutalist box shaped structure sitting amidst a campus which does not inspire the senses. UB Athletics has, however, taken great steps to improve the venue, soften the look and feel of public spaces and add amenities to enhance the game day experience. Find a weekend game, preferably one being televised on one of the ESPN's, with something at stake, and you'll happen upon a game night atmosphere worth checking out.

Alumni Arena

Couldn't agree more with the disappointing atmosphere, especially for a school that large. I was there in 2004 (in the middle of their two-year rise above mediocrity) at an early-season game against Fairleigh Dickenson and though the attendance was somewhat respectable for a non-conference November affair, it would have been nice to see some more excitement in the crowd when UB tied it with a dunk at the buzzer.

Really well put how the uneven seating design gives it that bigger look. And for someone not familiar with the settings, it is a little odd and confusing driving/parking for a game at Alumni

Thanks for the outside photo of the venue. I was there at night and never got a good view of what it looked like.

I found it to be the not very well-designed venue. It works fine, but it could have been designed to get more fans closer to the action.

My highlight was getting my picture taken with "Conehead" the famous vendor that works the NFL, AAA plus Buffalo football and hoops games. He wears a cone head the kind made famous in the SNL skits of the 70s.

Crowd Reviews

Buffalo Bull Basketball

Total Score: 2.29

Out in the suburbs of the city of Buffalo, you'll find the campus of the university that bears the city's name. It's a place somewhat devoid of character and soul, and within its limits lies Alumni Arena, a basketball venue that seems to match the aura of the campus that surrounds it. There's a capacity of six thousand here, and it's designed with most seats on one side of the venue. This creates a dynamic of a high roof that gives the venue a more overwhelming look than necessary.

The Bulls of Buffalo

Total Score: 2.57

Alumni Arena, a key piece of the State University of New York at Buffalo’s recreation and athletic complex, is located on the north campus of the university in suburban Amherst, New York. Built in 1982, the facility is part of a vast and sprawling campus which, incredibly, is almost perfectly designed for car travel – and that’s within the campus itself! Alumni Arena is primarily home to the mens and women basketball teams, wrestling team and mens volleyball team. An extensive renovation was performed in 1982, adding new chairback seating to reduce capacity to 6100, as well as additions of new lighting, video scoreboard, improved training facilities and a renovated concourse.